Hall of Mythical Creatures

Bogies

Mischievous creatures who like to live in darkness. They make their homes in deep cupboards, cellars, barns, lofts, hollow trees, caves, and under sinks. They are very small, quite ugly, with long, thin arms and legs. Bogies only come out of their hiding places at night, when everything is quiet. They delight in creating minor mischief such as hiding things, messing up stacks of work papers, or pulling the covers off sleeping humans.

Brownies

Brownies are small beings about three feet tall, usually male, with rather flat faces and lots of hair on their bodies. They usually wear little brown suits, cloaks, and caps, though on occasion one will wear green clothing. Brownies prefer to be out during the night, but some will appear during the day. If they have not attached themselves to a household, they will take up residence in old hallow trees. They are cheerful and helpful...unless offended.

Centaurs

Centaurs had the upper body, head, and arms of a man and the lower body and legs of a stallion. They were wild, shaggy, ancient people, renowned for their wizardry. Though handsome in appearance, their character, more often than not, left much to be desired. They were known to carry bows and arrows, clubs, or small musical instruments.

Dwarfs

Dwarfs are sometimes confused with Gnomes by uninformed humans, though there is a vast difference. Dwarfs are small beings with large heads and gnarled faces. Their skin coloring, hair, and eyes tend to be earth colors. Dwarfs live underground, only coming to the surface for certain festivities. They are wary of humans. If humans are polite, they may be asked to join the Dwarfs in the festivities. If the humans are rude, the Dwarfs will see that misfortune comes to the household.

Elves

The most accurate description of Elves can be found in Tolkien's books, a far cry from the usual "christmas elf." They are very beautiful and have long flowing hair. Elves look much like humans, except they are much more beautiful and have slightly pointed ears and tipped eyes. Their skin coloring ranges from pale to nut-brown. Their hair is white-blonde, dark chestnut, brown, or black. Their eyes are very striking shades of green, blue, and woodland brown.

Fauns

Fauns are a milder version of the Satyr. These woodland spirits were half-man, half-goat, with twisted ram-horns, pointed ears, and a goat tail. Gentle creatures, they enticed their human companions into their woodland revels, rather than chasing them down like the Satyrs did. It was not unusual to see a band of Fauns and Nymphs dancing together. The music made by the Fauns sometimes enticed human females to go out at night to dance naked in the moonlight.

Gnomes

Gnomes are a wide variety of types and forms. Most of them range from four to twelve inches in height. The older males grow beards. Ordinarily, they are good-humored beings, helpful and benign to humans and all other creatures. However, if humans destroy their habitats with reckless regard, they have been known to cause great damage. Gnomes prefer to build underground colonies in dim forests. They often have several secret hiding places where they can store things.

Goblins

Goblins have a tendency for malicious mischief and evil cunning. Goblins can change their size, ranging from very small to almost human-sized. They can appear to humans as only a dark blob, or they can suddenly materialize with mean looks on their faces. Their coloring is in all shades of browns, and some of them are quite hairy. They have stubby ears and eyes that glitter with malice. They are extremely strong and most active at night.

Gremlins

Gremlins try to make life as miserable for humans as they can. They never run out of ideas to torment humans in little ways. Gremlins prefer to live in homes and buildings where there is lots of machinery in one form or another. Tradition says that there is at least one Gremlin in every household or business.

The Harpies

Huge, predatory birds with vulture-like bodies, the heads and faces of women, and the claws of eagles. The Harpies have been described as hideous beasts, but also as winged women of ethereal beauty. Their harsh, semi-human screams, the thunder of their great wings, and the foul stench of their feathers gave warning to their victims only at the last minute. It was never possible to escape the Harpy punishment, which often included tormenting and tearing at a person.

Hippogriff

The Hippogriff was a combination of the horse and the Griffin. Mythology says its mother was a mare and the father a Griffin. It had the body of a horse and the front part of a Griffin with beak, claws, and wings. The Hippogriff was the unpredictable mount of the Wizard Atlantis.

Knockers

Underground beings who have made contact with miners since the Phoenicians first came to Cornwall to barter for tin, silver, copper, and lead. It is said that they resemble Gnomes. Knockers are helpful to miners, warning them of danger, or directing them to a vein of ore. These warnings or directions always come in the form of mysterious knocking sounds. They are about a foot and a half tall and dress like miners. It is considered good luck to hear them, though they will throw stones if ignored or mocked.

Manticore

The Manticore had the body of a lion and a head resembling that of a human, except for its three rows of sharp teeth. Some also has small bat-brown wings. Its tail was long and scaled like a snake. The tip of the tail had poison darts which could be thrown. The Manitcore would either stalk its victim or use its hypnotic gaze, getting close enough to its victim to hit it with poison darts. then it would tear the victim to pieces.

Pixies

Pixies are about the size of a human hand, but have the ability to increase or decrease their size whenever they wish. They have bright red hair, green eyes, pointed ears, and turned-up noses. Pixies are malicious tricksters. It is not unknown for a Pixie, especially the males, to take on full-grown human appearance in an attempt to cause trouble.

Senmurv

The Senmurv had a dog-like head and paws and the wings and tail of a bird. Its wings darkened the sky when it flew. The Senmurv is often seen as a kind of dragon-peacock. Legends say that in the beginning it was a friend and helper of humans. It lived in a tree guarded by 99,999 spirits. The seeds of the tree could cure all evil. Each time the Senmurv landed in the tree, it shook loose thousands of these seeds and cured human illnesses.

Simurgh

The Simurgh had lion claws, peacock plumes, a snake tail, and a Griffin head. The Simurgh was half-bird, half-mammal. A benevolent creature, the Simurgh had prophetic and magickal powers, great wisdom, and healing qualities in its feathers. It is considered a bird of good omen.

The Sirens

The number of Sirens is given as two, three, four, or even eight. These sea Nymph-birds had human-sized bird bodies with the heads, arms, and breasts of women. They had beautiful, alluring voices which they used to draw sailors to their deaths on great rocks along the shore. The Sirens sang love songs while sitting on sea rocks. Any man who heard their singing was instantly enchanted, jumped from the ship, and drowned. The Sirens had a liking for human flesh.

Winged Panthers

Winged Panthers were creatures with feathers or fur on the front and back legs and a feathery crest on top of its head. Winged Panthers are also described as having wings, feathers, or flames coming from the back of all four legs. Some Winged Panthers lived deep under water and, though said to be evil and devious, were also acknowledged as having powerful healing knowledge.